ClimateHack Amsterdam: Batteries: the Challenge, Promise and Future of Energy Storage
You're invited to ClimateHack Amsterdam!
Energy storage sits at the heart of our renewable future and represents one of the most critical technological frontiers of our time. From electric vehicles to grid stabilization, sustainable homes to remote power access, batteries are the key enabler for a decarbonized world. But significant challenges remain in scaling production, improving performance, and reducing environmental impact. How can we accelerate innovation to unlock the full potential of energy storage technologies?
Join us as researchers, entrepreneurs and investors explore the rapidly evolving battery landscape, including:
Current bottlenecks in battery technology and the race to develop next-generation chemistries beyond lithium-ion
Approaches to scaling production while addressing critical mineral supply chains and sustainability concerns
Emerging technologies transforming energy storage: solid-state batteries, flow batteries, and alternative storage solutions
How smart battery management, recycling innovations, and circular economy principles are extending battery life and reducing waste
The crucial role of energy storage in enabling renewable energy integration and grid resilience
Note: event will be conducted in English
SPEAKERS (5 MIN PITCHES)
Efrat Avnet Steinberg - INNER
Efrat is the CEO and co-founder of INNER, a company developing radiographic technology for EV battery issue detection. INNER's proprietary, non-invasive Computed Tomography scanner enables rapid detection and analysis of microscopic physical faults with exceptional accuracy, supporting circularity, safety, and efficiency in the EV ecosystem. Efrat has over 25 years of experience in product, BD, operations, and legal and held key roles in telecom companies and smart cities settings, and has advised startups for over a decade.
Pieter ter Kuile - Back to Battery
Pieter is the co-founder and managing director of Back to Battery. Back to Battery makes battery products from end-of-life lithium ion batteries — a sustainable recovery of critical raw materials — with no loss of functionality. Back to Battery provides the missing link in the recycling value chain in a clean and effective way with no waste, low energy requirement, and agnostic to Li-ion chemistries. Pieter is a financial expert, former advisor M&A and equity raise at Kempen & Co and has been involved with many startup companies.
Florian is the Go-to-Market and Business Development Director at Sympower, a specialist in optimization solutions for utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Its advanced algorithms help maximize revenue and efficiency for battery assets, which are crucial for the energy transition by enabling reliable power supply from intermittent renewable sources, further accelerating the shift towards a clean energy future. With extensive experience in launching and scaling technology-driven businesses, Florian previously served as general manager for Uber Eats as well as Getir/Gorillas, where he led market entry and expansion strategies.
Bas is the Business Development Manager at Ore Energy, a technology start-up developing an iron-air battery for multi-day energy storage. The Ore Energy battery is a safe and low-cost storage solution without the use of any critical raw materials. It can store electricity for up to 100 hours and can be used for applications such as firming of renewable power, managing grid congestion or as a source of back-up power. Bas was previously a project manager at Roland Berger where he worked for a variety of different players in the energy industry such as grid operators, utilities, and offshore wind developers.
José Buera is the co-founder and CIO of Agla Energy. Agla’s Capacity-as-a-Service (CAAS) model provides exclusive access to capital intensive battery energy storage systems (BESS), charging, and microgrid solutions, without any upfront costs. Instead, customers pay a fixed monthly fee. From fleet electrification to renewables optimisation, Agla simplifies the energy transition by converting restrictive capex into predictable opex that matches actual equipment usage. José is an asset manager and investor specialising in distributed credit, with over 20 years of experience spanning complex energy finance, IPP turnarounds and renewable energy development. A chemical engineer by training, José published research in electrostatics before starting his career as a tech investment banker.
Janneke Stuijfzand - AQUABATTERY
Janneke is the CCO of AQUABATTERY, a climatetech startup developing long-duration energy storage solutions based on saltwater. AQUABATTERY is a safe, sustainable and affordable LDES battery, which helps industry, real estate, and the electricity grid to decarbonise and maximise renewable assets. With 15 years of experience in commercial strategy and M&A across the energy transition sector, Janneke brings deep expertise. She previously supported ‘tech for good’ startups as a VC investor, combining business insight with a strong commitment to climate impact.
Agenda
4:45pm - Doors open
5:15pm (sharp!) - Startup pitches (5 mins each)
6:05pm - Audience Q&A
6:15pm - 30-second community pitches. Are you launching a new product? Are you looking for your next R&D expert or your next CEO? Are you looking for a job or an internship? Join our 30-second pitch session and share your business update with the audience (open to anyone).
6:25pm - Drinks + Snacks + Networking
7:30pm - Event concludes
Hosts
ClimateHack Amsterdam Ambassadors: Aaron Endré & Nhi Corcoran
Contact: climatehack.amsterdam@gmail.com
About ClimateHack
ClimateHack is a non-profit community-driven platform that inspires, highlights and connects climatetech entrepreneurs and innovators. With meetups across the globe, a weekly climatetech industry newsletter, weekly reports on climatetech, and an annual summit.
About SustainaLab
SustainaLab forms an ecosystem focusing on integral sustainable development. From the scientific base of the University of Amsterdam, SustainaLab enables cross-fertilisation between companies, governments, NGOs, citizens and academia. SustainaLab is located in the Matrix ONE building on Amsterdam Science Park.
About Catalyze Group
Catalyze Group is a strategic innovation consultancy that helps science-driven ventures maximize their impact by providing end-to-end support across the innovation lifecycle—from fundraising and project management to strategic consulting and investment readiness. With a team of 110+ experts bridging science and business, Catalyze specializes in Life Sciences, Sustainability, Digitalisation, and Industrialisation. The firm has helped clients secure over €2 billion in funding and built a global network of 5,000+ partners, positioning itself as a key player in driving breakthrough technologies forward.
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